OF MARTYRS & SCARS TOUR // 15.09.23
REDBACK PROMOTION | SEASON OF MIST | VÀN RECORDS proudly presents
Of Martyrs & Scars Tour 2023
SETH + ATTIC + AND OCEANS + BLOODPHEMY
We are very happy to be able to offer you a Dark and Atmospheric Black Metal package with BIG dash of Heavy Metal – straight from our artist roster: French Black Metal pioneers SETH who released their album “La Morsue du Christ” in the middle of the Covid-19 pest wave through Season Of Mist. Co-Headliner will be Germany’s finest Blackened Heavy Metal export ATTIC –
with a new record inside their pocket, which will be released before or during this tour by Ván Records. The 3rd cornerstone will be …AND OCEANS from Finland, who just released “As in Gardens, So in Tombs” via Season of Mist at the end of January.
This package will be heavily promoted by Redback Promotion, Season Of Mist and Ván Records.
SETH
FRANCE / Season Of Mist
The history of black metal formation SETH and Season of Mist spans back to the early days of the French metal scene. The band’s debut ‘Les Blessures de L’Ame’ (1998) was one of the first releases on the label. This album is now regarded as a cornerstone in French black metal, pioneering the usage of their native tongue on a black metal record. SETH has lit up the flame of those
early days again with ‘La Morsure du Christ’, which can be seen as sequel to the highly acclaimed debut.
The release of ‘Les Blessures de L’Ame’ quickly gained international attention and SETH built a solid fanbase. The French blasphemers signed a two-release deal with Osmose Productions and participated on the MAYHEM cult tribute album ‘Originators of the Northern Darkness’ alongside IMMORTAL and BEHEMOTH. The second full-length ‘The Excellence’ came out in 2000 and
featured a contribution from none other than Fenriz (DARKTHRONE), who wrote the lyrics for the song ‘Let Me Be The Salt In Your Wound’. Shortly after, the group recorded their third album ‘Divine-X’ (2002) at the Excess Studios in Rotterdam (EPICA, AFTER FOREVER, SINISTER). This record demonstrated the ability of the band to mix gloomy and violent atmospheres
and received extensive coverage from the international metal press at the time.
Returning to the Netherlands to record the fourth album ‘Era-Decay’ (2004), two new members joined the ranks of SETH: vocalist Black Messiah and guitarist Cyriex. Afterwards, the band was invited to play at the prestigious Inferno festival in Norway in 2005. A long hiatus followed, until the band returned in 2011 to play an exclusive show in Germany with the German cult act BETHLEHEM. The band re-joined the ranks of Season of Mist, eventually releasing ‘The Howling Spirit’ (2013) and embarking on a European tour with PESTILENCE. Several appearances at
major festivals followed, including Hellfest and Graspop Metal Meeting, concluded by a Canadian headliner tour with the new vocalist Saint Vincent.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of ‘Les Blessures de L’Ame’ in 2018, SETH exclusively performed the entire album at festivals in Switzerland, Canada (Messe de Morts) and Belgium (Thronefest). The French label Les Acteurs de l’Ombre productions released a live recording of these shows, called ‘20 ans de Blasphème’. The band’s new line-up featured members of LOUDBLAST, ARKHON INFAUSTUS and MELTED SPACE.
With the flame of SETH burning strong again, the French black metallers started writing new material. On the new record ‘La Morsure du Christ’ (a double meaning title: literally « The Bite of Christ » and phonetically « Christ’s death is certain »), they return to their original sound, employ French alexandrine verse in their lyrics and choose a striking image as an album art. The blazing inferno of the Notre-Dame de Paris is depicted on the cover, an event that shuddered the world on April 15, 2019. The release of the record marks the 2nd anniversary of the event.
It’s a powerful picture that conveys the very essence of ‘La Morsure du Christ.’ In a world moving further away from religion and spirituality, the demise of this landmark symbolizes the end of the Christian reign and the ultimate betrayal of God. From the ashes of the cathedral, a godless world will come into being.
ATTIC
GERMANY / Ván Records
With the love for sinister music, horrormovies/-books, spiritualism and occultism in common, Attic decided to play traditional heavy metal in the vein of Bands like Mercyful Fate, Pentagram, Judas Priest, Helstar … etc.
The mixture of raw, classic old school heavy metal and a dark, dense atmosphere is always essential in their music as well as the satanic chants.
After the first live shows the band was totally blown away by the highly positive response and started recording their first Demo which was released in the beginning of 2012 and was praised by critics and fans alike.
Tours across Europe with THE DEVIL’S BLOOD and MARDUK followed within the past 10 years, alongside by major European festivals. In late 2022 the band started to write new material and performed their first live-rituals in South America. 2023 started very well for the band: Co-Headliner at “Hammer & Iron Festival II” in Germany was sold out on presale as well as “Heavy Metal Thunder III” – Festival in Czech Republic, where ATTIC was booked as Headliner.
The band also finished their studio recordings for their 3rd full-length album in February 2023, which will be released late 2023 – right in time before this tour kicks off!
…AND OCEANS
FINLAND / Season Of Mist
It’s rare for a band to commandingly return with their best effort to date, but Finland’s …And Oceans are here to prove that 2020’s Cosmic World Mother was the sound of creative floodgates bursting through into a new body of water, an ocean if you will. Well, that was their pinnacle up until their new album, As In Gardens, So In Tombs, is let out into the world. Everything that …And Oceans’ first full-length in 18 years did well – blistering symphonic black metal, heady themes that dealt with the connection between philosophy and psychics, and …And Oceans’ trademark adventurous songwriting – As In Gardens, So In Tombs manages to eclipse and recontextualize. It’s the sound of a band seizing every ounce of momentum and upping the ante in every way.
Lead single “Cloud Heads” is a great introduction into the magic and serves as a statement of intent. Swirling melodies, blastbeats that sound like the rumbles after The Big Bang, and ethereal symphonic touches result in a song that’s equally fierce and pleasant to take in. A kinder, gentler (but not gentle) version of …And Oceans.
While …And Oceans has never written the same album twice, in many ways, their latest sounds like
an opportunity for the Finnish group to pick up and improve upon what they started. Symphonic black metal is never this fun, free, and fantastic.
